Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-08-19
MR.. LIN.UORE,S TEXT.

1t happened on one Of the loveliest Sab
bath days that ever visited this happy-go-
lucky world Of ours when it seemed almost
us if the birds, the bees, the flowers, yes,
and the very clouds in the deep blue sky,
laid aside their everyday behavior, and
paused in their happy, careless lives TO drink
in the lovely sunshine and worship the great
Creator Of it all.
Save for on or two heecy little white
clouds which slowly sailed across the south
ern horizon. the sky was as clear as if
clouds had long since gone out of fashion
The warm, golden sunshine poured down
through the vines-morning glory, elena
It's and Virginia creeper-and lay in yell
low flood on the piazza. A soft breeze from
the west, laden with the song Of the robin
and wood thrush, the odor of new -mown
hay and the spicy breath Of the mountain
pine, rustled lightly among the leaves of
the two giant NAPLES over the gate, or per
haps set the blue red purple and white
morning glory bells shaking, till one might
almost hear the flood of howery music.
Down below the steps, where the gerani-
ums and roses lay, i'll the wilderness of
perfume and color, along the paths the bees
hummed comfortable song, and the brown
and yellow butterflies fitted gaily up and
down
How it ever could or should have hap
pened that grandma should be kept from
morning service by a twinge Of rheuma-
tisn ON such "A day, the good old lady never
could imagine. Such was the fact, how
ever, and when all the rest Of the family
had gone off 10 the little church at the 9th
er end Of the village, grandma sat among
the vines ON the piazza with Lucy, who,
with father, mother and brother Tom, was
spending that lovely month Of August at
Willowbrook.
For long time Lucy sat, with the big
Bible in her lap, reading aloud. Matthew,
Mark, Luke and John had contributed
verses, sometimes whole chapters, to the
mornings entertainment. and the Acts
were in fair way to join the list, with,
perhaps, interpretations and additions from
Pauls various epistles, when, suddenly,
Lucy yawned and then sighed.
of course 1t was a very awful thing t.
do, as grandma said but then, dear read
cr, Lucy was only just fifteen, and perhaps
didn't know better. She is older now, and
more careful, | guess, about such things.
But grandma. she pleaded, don't you
get tired Of things sometimes =
Why, my child, of some things, OF
| course, but never, hope, Of the Word OF
God, exclaimed grandma, quite Mortified.
Lucy sighed again am sure she didn
look SO very wicked. She was quite pret
ty, with her long dark brown hair, in tw,
| long braids with little curl at the end OF
| each, hanging below her waist and heI
soft brown eyes would never have giveT
you the faintest idea of such depravity,
assure you. But | suppose one must never
| depend on appearances.
Quite shocked at such barefaced wicked
ness, grandma sat wondering how best t.
reprove her pretty, depraved little grand
daughter, when Lucy spoke.
"Grandmother, she said, "how beautiful
that mountain is, way of there, and how
soft and smooth the green hills are that leaC
up to it And the river-how like a silver
ribbon it seems in the sunlight. | wish
might walk out there sometime-it doesn'
look SO very far. How far is it, grandma 2
About two miles, replied grandma, be
| ginning 10 imagine some faint hope for tn,
| little sinner. And it is very beautiful
along the river" she continued "ther,
where those two tall pines rise above th'
| clitfs-see there is a most beautiful wa
terfall some people say it is 80 feet high
| And there, down between those two hilli
where the cottages are, there is a lake
| very btautllul sneet OF water,
| Grandma, said Lucy, after looking a
the scene few minutes in silence. 'woulC
| you mind if ! walked out there this after
noon after dinner Tom will go with me
| | guess
"On Sunday, child :" cried grandma, lift
| ing both her hands in righteous horror
mercy me what can you be thinking of
And you may be very sure that Thomas ha
| for TO. i,rb nf Soil iaf1
to encourage YOU in desecrating the Lord
day. | must say | am shocked !"
Lucy hung her head under this rebuff
her eyes filling with tears of shame anC
sorrow. Grandma continued little more
| gently:
you should be little more thoughtful
my dear, and remember that this, the Sab
bath of the Lord thy God, is a day fol-
quiet, godly worship, not for thoughtles
holiday rambes about the country. OpeI
the Bible, Lucy at the twentieth chapter o
Exodus, and read-beginning with tht
eighth verse"
With burning face and trembling voice
Lucy did So
Remember the Sabbath day 10 keep it holy.
six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work
| But the seventh day is the sabbath Of the lor'
| thy God; In it thou shalt not do any work, thou
| nor thy maid servant, nor thy cattle, nor tn
stranger that is within thy gates"
But, grandma, this doesn't say anything
about taking walks on Sunday"
$50 on, child
For In six days the Lord made heaven an,
earth, the sea- and all that in them is, and reste,
| the seventh day, therefore the Lord blessed tn
| seventh day, aud hallowed it,
Don't you suppose grandma" begal
| Lucy, after a moments thought, that GoC
spent little part of the seventh day walk
| ing around and looking at the beautiful
things he had made Why is it wicked t,
walk out among the beautiful things Coo
set around us-even on Sunday Isn't i
a kind of worship 70 admire the flowers anC
the trees and the grass Even Chris
walked in the cornfelds on the Sabbatl
day, didn't he =
No answer.
Lucy looked up, and what do you think
There sat grandma her hands folded in he
lap sweet smile lowering about her lips
fast dsieep!
Lucy smiled a sly little smile as she lai,
the big Bible in her chair and tiptoed int
the house, whispering softly;
even grandma tires of it sometimes ~
"What a wicked little body she was, TO b
sure
Grandma opened her eyes with start
and then blushed as rosy as the reddest o
the morning glories behind her, Standing
beside Lucy's empty chair, looking dow
ON her with his pleasant smile, was the oil,
minister himself.
He was an old man-older, even, thai
grandma-and his long white hair hum
around his shoulders like snow.
With shame at having been caught aslee
on the Sabbath when she should have beei
in her pew at church, grandma scarcel
dared look in his face as he greeted her.
They told me you were unable to com
TO church this morning." he said, 'and
have taken the liberty of coming down t
offer my sympathy
Grandma had by this time somewhat re
covered her composure, and thanked hin
kindly.
"Where is Lucy r he asked presently.
81 am sure don't know, ~ replied grand
ma, something of her horror and indigna
ton ut Lucy's wickedness returning 10 he
tone. Then she told him about it, and add
ed 81 am sure you, sir, by a little con
yersation, could give her a better idea q
her duty towards God and her example t
her neighbors-a little better air of Sabbat
sobriety. Win you, Mr., Linmore {"
The minister smiled as he looked off Il
ward the purple mountain and the deeI